Legal Challenge to Commission Leadership
In a significant development, Kentucky's Attorney General has formally requested the resignation of Chuck Meade, who chairs the state's Fish and Wildlife Commission. The demand stems from allegations that Meade fails to meet statutory requirements for his position, specifically regarding hunting and fishing license compliance.
Attorney Aaron Silletto, leading the Office of Civil and Environmental Law within the Attorney General's office, communicated this demand through a December 19 letter. According to Silletto's correspondence, Meade has not maintained the necessary consecutive five-year hunting and fishing license history mandated by Kentucky law for commission service. Additionally, Silletto contends that Meade does not qualify for the farmland exemption that permits residents to hunt and fish without licenses on their own agricultural properties.
"Your failure to obtain hunting and fishing licenses in 2021 and 2022 means you continue to be ineligible to serve on the Commission, and you will be ineligible to serve on the Commission until the 2027 license year, at the earliest," Silletto wrote. "The citizens of Wildlife District 7 and I look forward to your timely response and resignation."
The Attorney General's office has set a December 31 deadline for Meade's resignation, warning that legal action in circuit court would follow if he fails to comply.
Meade's Response and Legal Position
Meade, a former state representative, indicated through a telephone interview that his legal counsel intends to request an extension until January to prepare a comprehensive response. He plans to challenge the Attorney General's interpretation of a 1955 Kentucky Court of Appeals decision regarding farmland exemption qualifications.
"I believe that if just minds will just take a fresh look at the old decision, these matters can be resolved," Meade said. "I've told this to everyone: The commission is a great privilege, and I'm proud to represent many Kentuckians who enjoy hunting and fishing on their family farms. I have been a lifelong sportsman of the commonwealth."
Meade affirmed his willingness to defend his position in court if necessary. He was appointed to represent Eastern Kentucky's District seat by Democratic Governor Andy Beshear in January 2024, following nomination by local sportspeople, and received confirmation from the Republican-controlled Kentucky Senate in April 2024.
Commission Responsibilities and Broader Implications
The Fish and Wildlife Commission holds substantial authority over Kentucky's wildlife management, overseeing budgets comprising millions in hunting and fishing license fees, boat registration revenues, and federal grants. Commission members also establish and modify hunting and fishing regulations while maintaining oversight of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
State legislation mandates that the commission maintain a "watchful eye" over department operations and controls employment decisions for the department's chief executive, Commissioner Rich Storm.
Residency and Farmland Exemption Dispute
Silletto's four-page letter references a December 5 notification regarding a citizen complaint challenging Meade's eligibility. While the Attorney General's office received the complaint on October 6, the identity of the complainant remains undisclosed.
The controversy centers on two legal provisions: eligibility requirements for commission members and exemptions allowing resident farmland owners to hunt and fish without licenses. Silletto notes that Meade purchased a 2023 sportsmen's license just two days before his nomination meeting, failing to meet the five-year consecutive license requirement established in 2022.
Regarding the farmland exemption, Silletto acknowledges Meade's claim of hunting on his 100-acre Lawrence County property since 2008 but argues that because Meade resides in a Johnson County subdivision rather than on the farm itself, he cannot qualify as a "resident owner of farmlands" under the exemption.
"You may not use your non-resident ownership of the Lawrence County property to avail yourself of the 'resident owner of farmlands' exemption," Silletto asserted.
The Attorney General cites historical legal opinions from 1963 and 1979, along with the 1955 Court of Appeals decision, to support the interpretation that exemption eligibility requires a "sufficient connection to the particular tract of land."
Meade counters that he maintains a "strong connection" to the Lawrence County land, which has been in his family for over a century. "We have raised our families. We've raised livestock on it. We've raised gardens on it. We've survived from it, and we feel the connection expressly mentioned in the prior court case," Meade explained.
Sportsmen's Concerns and Political Context
The League of Kentucky Sportsmen, representing thousands of hunters statewide, has expressed concern that the Attorney General's interpretation conflicts with longstanding enforcement practices by state game wardens. A draft resolution circulated by the league urges immediate clarification of farmland exemption interpretation, noting that wildlife officers have traditionally not required landowners to reside on their properties to qualify for the exemption.
Doug Ramey, the league's president, questioned the timing of the eligibility challenge after Meade's Senate confirmation. "Why is it being brought up now when he's owned his own property forever?" Ramey said. "I suspect there is an ulterior motive."
Governor Beshear's spokesperson, Scottie Ellis, stated the governor was unaware of the investigation but expressed concern about political interference. "The governor does not yet know all the underlying facts but is concerned that every time a member of this commission attempts to exert real oversight and demand transparency, a Republican AG intervenes," Ellis said. "The vast majority of sportsmen have serious and grave concerns with the operations of fish & wildlife, yet their elected members to the board are denied confirmation or threatened with lawsuits."
Historical tensions exist between Governor Beshear and Commissioner Storm regarding executive oversight of procurement and conservation matters. Republican Senate President Robert Stivers has previously emphasized protecting Storm from retaliation as a consideration in confirmation decisions, while hunters and anglers have criticized what they perceive as increasing politicization of wildlife management.
Lisa Jackson, spokesperson for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, clarified that Commissioner Storm was not involved in initiating complaints and that the department takes no position on Meade's resignation, deferring to legal authorities for resolution. "This matter is between the Attorney General's office and a gubernatorial appointee to the Fish and Wildlife Commission," Jackson stated. "Storm remains committed to carrying out his duties in accordance with the law and maintaining public confidence in the work of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources."
